by Diana Ennen, President of Virtual Word Publishing and author of “Virtual Assistant, The Series: Become a Highly Successful, Sought After VA“
The holidays are here! The holidays are here! Quick run for cover. Or better yet, turn your business into a marketing machine. Me, I think I’ll go for the later. With holiday spending expected to reach 1.1 trillion according to a recent article on CNBC, you can see why it’s important to do.
Don’t get me wrong. I absolutely love everything about the holidays. Family, fun, traditions, and above all else so many in the holiday spirit. And yes, it can be a stressful time of year especially for us business owners who are trying to do it all. But it can also be a magical time where we get to celebrate all that life and business has to offer.
One gift you can give yourself this year is to market during these times and then well into 2019, you can reap the rewards. Here are a few holiday marketing tips to start 2019 in the right way:
Don’t consider it holiday marketing. Instead consider it relationship building.
You want to build those relationships to last long into 2019. What can you do to reach out to those potential clients or even current clients and let them get to know you better? Yes, they probably know what you do, but do they know YOU? And more importantly do you know THEM? It can be as simple as that.
Review What You’re Currently Doing or Done This Past Year.
Before you start on your holiday marketing journey, take some time to review your marketing in the past year. How did you do? Did you keep all those goals you wanted or was it more hit or miss depending on client work and family commitments? Now don’t beat yourself if you failed miserably. Instead figure out how you can make a change this year. And don’t go too crazy. What most discover is that they set up unrealistic goals and then when they couldn’t achieve them, they just didn’t do much. You can see how taking a different route this year will make a difference.
Reflect on Your Services and What You Did the Most of Last Year.
You might discover that your marketing needs to up updated because the services you mainly offer have changed. Once you determine your services or products, write out how you plan to market. And again, make it something you will do.
Write a Great Article On New Year Topics and Pitch Away.
This is the perfect time to write an article and get featured in major media. This exposure can last you for months to come. One great topic now is trends. Can you write an article on trends for your type of business? If so, do. For example, PR Trends for 2019 – Social Media Trends for 2019, etc. But it doesn’t need to be trends. Just think of an article you can write that includes Top ____ Trends for 2019.
Have some fun.
I say this every year, but it’s truly one of my favorite tips. Marketing doesn’t need to be hum ho and you can have some fun with it. This is the time of year you can get away with it and it’s even encouraged. Tis the season to show your personality… fa la la la la, la la la la.
Plan an event.
Think of fun events such as 12 days of Christmas and do a Live Facebook Video during that time or something similar. But plan ahead and do it right. So many get over their head when they plan these and half of their Facebook live is “gee I don’t know my topic today, but …” That leaves your viewers running for the hills.
Have a 12 Day of Christmas Sale.
You can have a 12 days of Christmas Sale and each day have a special on one of your products or services. Again, just plan it well so when the time comes the emails are already written, the procedures in place to sell, and you are not stressed to the max so when those potential clients call you, you don’t sound like your head is about to explode. Also, make sure your sale is an actual sale. One trick I’m seeing more and more of its companies adding in the price difference to shipping and handling. Bad form. Bad form for sure.
Amp Up Your Social Media Presence.
The bottom line is people are on their computers a lot during the holidays. Whether they are looking for sales or just chilling after a long day at work, holiday shopping, and holiday festivities, they tend to relax online. And what does that mean for your business? It means you need to be front and present. Seriously, you might have the perfect present for Cousin Lou and just need to let others know about it. Or you can just post more often and share your blog posts and tips more so people get to see YOU more. Plus, hopefully it sets the standards for you to continue well into the New Year.
For Local Clients Stop by their Office and Drop off Goodies.
Popcorn tins for the staff and/or their favorite coffee for their afternoon pick-me-up are great ideas. For potential new clients, drop off a holiday cup full of wrapped candy with your business card. I’ve done this for years and it works!
Get marketing now and make 2019 the best year yet. And remember you don’t have to do it alone. There are those out there who specialize in PR and marketing who can help. The most important thing is to do it, have some fun, and welcome the New Year with open arms.
Diana Ennen is the President of Virtual Word Publishing, offering PR and marketing services. She hosts PR classes through www.prsuccessseries.com, and is also the author of six books on starting your own business including the best-selling”Virtual Assistant, The Series: Become a Highly Successful, Sought After VA“, Contact her at Diana@virtualwordpublishing.com or @dianaennen for a free PR Informational Package.
